Confessions of a grey-headed reporter

LAF FAQ

Q: Are you trying to get back into TV news? Coz you’ve got a funny way of showing it.

A: My exit in 2007 was final. I overstayed by five years or so. The answer is absolutely not.

Q: So now you’re God’s gift to TV news, sitting on the sidelines?

A: My on-air skills were middling at best. My competitive fire was never hot enough. But I know newsgathering and story production. Everybody has an opinion. I just happen to have a blog. You can get one too.

Q: Is anybody reading it?

A: It’s had, what 30,000 hits? I don’t know if that’s a lot or not. There’s an ongoing tally to the right.

Q: Do you spend all day watching the news now? If so, that makes you pathetic.

A: I watch as little as possible. Mostly, I hit “delete” on entire newscasts on the DVR before I even view them. The other times, I’m hitting fast forward. I watch until I find something to write about. I devote about an hour a day to watching and writing. Another blogger with more patience could write a much more comprehensive column.

Q: Why are you doing it?

A: Mostly, to raise the SEO profile of my business web site. Secondarily, because TV news deserves the scrutiny. The folks who run it are rarely called on their BS, except whispered behind their backs. I see myself speaking on behalf of the newsgathering crews who like their jobs too much to state the obvious out loud.

Q: Any posts you regret?

A: Before I had any readers, I wrote a harsh post about Monica Pearson. Whenever our paths crossed, she was always the gracious diva. I should have been less bitchy. Frankly, when I was in the news biz, I didn’t watch WSB much. The more I watch her, the more I respect her talent. But Jovita is more than ready to take over.

Q: Favorite posts?

A: For some reason, thesetwo stand out. I gotta admit, it’s fun to clobberWGCL. And my views spike whenever I write about 46. I think the staff there gets a kick out of reading how silly their bosses are. Conversely, my views drop whenever I clobber WXIA. That’s how boring that station is. (One exception: This is one of my most-viewed posts ever.) Note: WGCL and WXIA changed their news management after this was posted.

Q: Why so easy on WAGA?

A: I clobber them too. But they’re the most enterprising station in town, and have the fewest on-air fools. WSB competes well because it has more muscle, a higher payroll and better technology.

Q: Do you ever reject comments from readers?

A: I’ve tossed some highly personal “what a pathetic egomaniac (blank) is” kind of stuff. But hardly any comments get rejected. I’ve even allowed some nasty stuff written about me. Why, I don’t know, except that it indicates the mind-set of some of LAF’s readers.

Q: Why haven’t you written more about the morning shows?

A: Can’t bring myself to watch them. Someday, perhaps.

Q: Why don’t you post pictures?

A: Too time consuming.

Q: Why not branch into other commentary like other bloggers?

A: This book is really fun to read. This band changed my life. A newspaper needs to hire this kid. That kind of stuff?

Q: Maybe nobody cares what you think about that kind of stuff.

A: Agreed.

Q: Why the first-person plural? Isn’t there only one of you?

A: Wishful thinking on our part. We want more guest writers like Race Bannon. Contact us if you’re interested. Until we assemble a team, it’s the imperial “we” as in the Queen saying “we are not amused.” (That’s a line stolen directly from a Bud Veazey memo, btw. Guest blogger, BV! C’mon!)

Q: Why so hard on WGCL and WXIA?

A: WGCL is just goofy, but at least they’re trying. WXIA has an amazing staff, yet coasts.

Q: Couldn’t you do an entire blog just on Mark Winne?

A: Yes. But would anybody read it?

Q: Isn’t it time to eliminate “wordpress” from the domain name?

A: I’ve bought liveapartmentfire.com. I just haven’t done the clicks to make the conversion yet. I have a business to run and news programs to delete.

Q: Are you on hiatus now? Because you haven’t actually posted anything about the news in several days.

A: Yes, but not for long.

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About live apt fire

Doug Richards is a reporter at WXIA-TV. This is his personal blog. WXIA-TV has nothing whatsoever to do with this blog, under any circumstances, in any form. For anything written herein, Doug accepts sole credit and full blame. Follow him on Twitter: @richardsdoug. All rights reserved. Thanks for visiting.

10 thoughts on “LAF FAQ”

“I see myself speaking on behalf of the newsgathering crews who like their jobs too much to state the obvious out loud.”
Thank you!
“A: WGCL is just goofy, but at least they’re trying.”
Like watching a dog run around with its head stuck in a jar.
“Q: Couldn’t you do an entire blog just on Mark Winne?”
He does a mean Elvis impersonation!
“A: Wishful thinking on our part. We want more guest writers like Race Bannon. Contact us if you’re interested. Until we assemble a team, it’s the imperial “we” as in the Queen saying “we are not amused.””
Gimme a topic.

I was at that KK&BBQ show. Sadly, Jessica Juggz has retired the pussy flambe act. But KK&The Shrines (a large soul, rock, funk, gospel act) will be at Lenny’s on July 4th. I’m sure there will still be lots of craziness.

I love your blog! It is great to have someone blogging about how pathetic news stations have become. No more news now, more like opinions on what is happening. WSB is my favorite on anchors last words about a story. Mother lost her children? “I’m sure she is feeling the loss tonight…” Tornado wipe out an entire town? “Many homeless families tonight…”